About HIMF
The first edition of the Halden International Music Film Festival (HIMF) was held in February 2023.
Building on last year's success, HIMF in 2024 will include films, a Business Program program and exciting activities, including Make Halden Smile.
HIMF 2024 is part of a nine-day week of music, film, education, and technology, in a collaboration between HIMF, Conference on Applied AI (AI+); Opera Østfold, and Knowledge in the center.
Stay tuned here for information about HIMF, which will profile the best from Halden, the Østfold region, and Norway.
Speakers
Don Letts
Don Lett's reputation as a film director, DJ and musician is much rooted in his ability of bringing different cultures together. He is one of the key cornerstones of England's punk and reggae scenes, and was, among other things, the videographer for the Clash and other bands. The music from that time was often strong and critical of the establishment. Don Letts was central to this environment in the mid-70s, against a background of high unemployment, alienation and a general feeling of poor future prospects amoungst youth. In this time of great social unrest, Don Letts promoted the Do It Yourself ethic. It's about how you do what you do, not just what you do. It is a mentality, not just a desire for social change that happened 40 years ago. The energy has a cause and a legacy, and this wave of creativity we want to recreate by starting what will become a new tradition on April 20th - "Make Halden Smile".
Arnt Maasø
Arnt Maasø is associate professor at the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Oslo. He areas of research have included music and media, music streaming and algorithms. He was awarded the prize for the best scientific article by the Norwegian Media Research Association in 2022 for "The Streaming Paradox: Untangling the Hybrid Gatekeeping Mechanisms of Music Streaming", with Hendrik S. Spilker.
Rachel Davies
Rachel Davies is editor, commissioning and acquiring programs in BBC Popular Music TV. In addition, she leads the BBC Music team in Salford where she is responsible for implementing the music strategy across linear channels and for the BBC player. Rachel's role allows her to work across multiple disciplines from live events and studio shows to documentaries. Rachel's job consists of commissioning high-profile, award-winning content including the BBC's Glastonbury Festival coverage, "Later…" with Jools Holland, the Mercury Music Prize, the MOBO Awards, Reel Stories with Dermot O'Leary and When X Came to Britain, just to name a few. Recent documentary series assignments include Chuck D's Fight the Power, Disco: The Sound of a Revolution and First Ladies of Hip Hop. Critically acclaimed single films include The Trouble with Kanye, and Reclaiming Amy. Prior to joining the BBC Music commissioning team, Rachel produced and directed a range of programs across the major UK channels. Outside of her day job, Rachel helps and supports young industry talent through her work on the Royal Television Society committee. Rachel sits on the board of Brighter Sound, a music development organization focused on creating transformative experiences for young people and emerging artists who want to work in music.
Other Activities
Partners
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SPAREBANK1STIFTELSEN HALDEN Sparebank1stiftelsen Halden was established in 2011 in conjunction with the merger between Rygge and Vaaler Sparebank and Halden Sparebank. Sparebank1stiftelsen Halden was established to ensure that the capital that has accumulated over time in Halden Sparebank, which was liquidated, remains in the local community and is managed through Sparebank1stiftelsen Halden. Sparebank1stiftelsen Halden shall stimulate and contribute to positive development in the local area, preferably in Halden, and also in Sarpsborg, built up the basic funds of the former Halden Sparebank,. The funds provided will be focused on long-term community and culture building. and ensure that earned capital remains in the local area.
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THON HOTEL HALDEN Thon Hotel Halden is a proud partner of this event and we look forward to hosting you who come to visit.The hotel is idyllically located by the wharf promenade in Halden, with a view of the inner harbor and the beautiful Fredriksten Fortress. The hotel has its own restaurant, and in the summer we can offer a large outdoor terrace that goes all the way to the edge of the wharf.
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HALDEN MUNCIPALITY Halden is Norway's most beautiful city, the gateway to Europe and old Østfold's largest municipality. Our 2,200 employees who work every day to make Halden a little better everyday. Halden municipality provides services to over 30,000 residents, managing everything from nurseries and schools to care for the elderly, providing everything from water and road to cultural experiences. Our values include openness - trust - respect – honesty. At the same time, we aspire to become Norway's most innovative municipality. High-tech industry, ICT, research, development and innovation characterize large parts of business life in Halden.
RIIS BILGLASS Riis Bilglass is Norway's leading car glass supplier with 190 workshops spread across the country. We are a 100 percent Norwegian-owned company that replaces and repairs car glass and at the same time emphasizes supporting various parts of Norwegian cultural life locally, regionally and nationally.
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BERG SPAREBANK Established in 1915, Berg Sparebank prioritizes community service through financial support of activities of a cultural, sporting or social nature in Halden. The environment has always been important to the bank, and Berg Sparebank is environmentally certified within a wide range of areas including health safety, purchasing, material consumption, energy consumption,– the goals to achieve environmental improvements, better working environment and an environmentally friendly operation. Together with other independent local banks, the bank owns Eika Gruppen AS, an ownership that provides access to products and services that enable our competent and service- oriented employees to offer everything in savings, placement, financing, insurance and estate agency.
The Norwegian Association for Composers and Lyricists is an interest organization for authors of musical works. The association has approximately 1,500 members and 500 associates who create music in all languages and in all genres. NOPA works to promote Norwegian, creative tonal art and look after its members' artistic and financial interests.
BALLADE.NO Ballade.no is an editorially independent online newspaper for and about Norwegian music life and has been a collaborative partner with HIMF since the founding of the festival in 2023. This year too, ballade.no will host morning sessions on Friday and Saturday, and present a selection of music videos which will be shown in the Kulturhuset.
Østfold is a Norwegian county in Eastern Norway that was re-established on 1 January 2024 after Viken county was dissolved from the same date. Our areas if operation include upper secondary schools, regional development and planning, culture, transport, public health work and dental services. Within education, we have 11 upper secondary schools, a university-college with several campuses, a school that provides support for children and young people in child welfare and health institutions, as well as a consolidated vocational school. Østfold has the ongoing goal to each and every young person with educational opportunities that equips them well for the rest of their lives.
